Mean
by PinkRayBansandPorcelainPenguns
Summary: A piece of Blaine's Past. Associated with Bad Enough For You. Ficlet. Title from the Taylor Swift song.


A/N: You're gonna hate me. I suck for this. A bit of Blaine's past. It goes with "Bad Enough For You", but works if you haven't read it.

**-MEOW-**

Blaine lay on the gravel, holding his stomach and trying to regain his breath. Tears rolled down his cheeks, stinging the scrapes on his face as stared up at the small crowd that had just watched as John Rogers, Peter Mackie and Keenan Haaverson (three sophomore boys) held him and beat him up in the alley behind Avery-Rose Tea Shop at the Spencerville Mall. No one offered to help him, or even waited to see if he'd get up from the brutal beating. As soon as his tormentors left, so did the crowd.

He didn't know how long he was laying there when he woke up, but it was dark out, so hours at least. Eventually, he managed to stand up and limp to the front of the Tea shop. The door was locked and the sign said _CLOSED_ but there was a slight old woman inside, sweeping. Blaine only knew her in passing, but he knew she was a sweet woman, and wouldn't turn him away. Holding his ribs with one arm, he knocked on the glass door. The woman looked up, startled, but quickly regained herself and rushed to the door, unlocking it and helping him in and into a chair. Looking at the poor boy, she could tell something terrible had happened. He had a look of pain about him, and what looked like road-scuffs on his cheeks.

She spoke with a thick Spanish accent, a motherly worry clouding her eyes, "What happened, Mijo?"

He recounted the whole story. How the bullies had attacked after coming out of the Tea shop and how everyone had left him. How he'd been out there for hours, and how none of his family would be looking for him. He told her everything... except why. Why they hurt him.

She looked confused and, though Blaine hadn't noticed her bustling around, handed him a hot cup of sweet-smelling tea. "Por que, Mijo? Why do they hurt you?" His eyes brimmed with tears. He hadn't come out yet, but they still knew. They'd known before he had. And They'd **tormented **him, every day they threatened, they made euphemisms, told him they would.. "teach him a lesson". The tears, spilled out and he sobbed loudly. "Because I'm gay!" He exploded, feeling shame, and relief and worry and a sharp, explosive pain in his chest because he was sobbing and his probably cracked ribs were hating him for it. Immediately, she flew at him, wrapping her arms around him as if protecting him from the terrible things he'd said. "Shh, Mijo." She rocked with him, his tears drenching her clothes, but neither caring, "You are safe, now. Safe from sus malos. Shhh.."

It was nearly midnight when she called them a cab and rode with him until he was home. At home, he opened the door, flipping on lights as he went limped to the kitchen. As was the norm, he pulled out three tylenol and downed a glass of lukewarm water (cold water just made the headache worse).

He limped down the stairs, turning off the lights and climbing quietly into bed. He would wrap his ribs, his ankle, and maybe his wrist in the morning. His parents never knew what was going on, and if they did, they never told him. They hadn't even been home yet when he drifted off.

He saw the woman from time to time, but they never spoke of what they'd gone through together. She never told anyone his quasi-secret and Cooper still thought he was the first person Blaine came out to. But he was wrong. Eventually, Blaine moved to Westerville, then to Lima, and The Avery-Rose Tea Shop closed down. There is a Macy's there know, not a remnant of the place where Blaine felt most loved, most cared for. He never did see that woman again, but he's pretty sure she loved him more in one night, then either of his parents had in his entire life. And that was enough for him.

**-MEOW-**

A/N: do you hate me? Do I suck? I'm sorry, but this is my headcanon for Blaine's "Pre-Dalton years". Hate me if you must, but review anyway, please! :)


End file.
